Auto steering-wheel lock



Feb. 13, 1923.

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Patent-ed 13, 1923.

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PETER L. MANLET, OF ST. FAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOB 0F GIVE-FOURTH To EDWARD G. KEAHMEB, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AUTO STEERING-WHEEL LOCK.

Application filed May 22,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, PETER L. MANLET, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Auto Steering-lVheel Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to locking means carried by and forming a part of the steering wheel, its object being to render the steering gear of an automobile inoperativeto all but authorized perso-ns. I

A feature of my invention is to provide a. simple means whereby the steeri'ng wheel, when attached to ashaft of the steering gear of a vehicle, may be freely rotated without operating the steering mechanism, and also provides a locking arrangement which may be brought into engagement with the steering shaft to cause the steering, shaft to 0p erate when the steering wheel is turned.

A furthenob-ject of my invention is to provide means whereby the steeringiwheel can not easily be removed from the steering shaft unless one is familiarwith the location I of certain countersunk set serewssaidcouin tersunk screws being covered over with suitable material and painted to correspond with the rest ofthe steering wheel? I In the drawings forming part of this specification v Figure l is a Figure 2 is an enlarged view partlyin section of the locking mechanism, illustratlng the steering wheel in inoperative position.

7 construction and conforms in practically every detail, with the exception of the looking mechanism, to the well-known steering wheels now commonly in use and can be attached toa steering post or connecting parts without making any changes thereon. In attaching the wheel to the shaft 10, a hub vinto the cylindrical opening 1 fragmentary view of my steer ng wheellock partly in section.

My steering wheel A is of very simple 1920. Seria1 No.38 3,356.

1 2 is first slipped onto the shaft and is secured thereto by means of'theikey 13 and enlarged central portion" of the steering wheel A. Thisportionor lock casing 0' forms a part of the hub 15 and is positioned between any two of the spokes ins-er the wheel A. The locking mechanism is disassociated from the casing C until the wheel A has been placed on thehub 12, at which time v the lock cylinder and bolt are inserted into the lateral cylindrical opening 17in the c;

.ing 0 V Thesteerlng wheel A may be formed with its central portiolnlS solid that is; so that cealed from view as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or it may be formed with an, open ing l9, to allow the operating levers of the motor vehicle to extendtherethrough.

V The locking. mechanism l5 consists ofthe casing C, cylinder 20 and lock bolt 21. The cylinder 20 containing the bolt 21 is inserted 7 and is the hub 12 and steering shaft 10 are con I adapted to engagethe'annular' groove 22 of i the hub 12. The cylinder 20 is of suchlength v I that its forward end 23 engages the thrust ball bearings 24, which contact with the hub 12, while its' rear end 25 is flush with the edge 26 of the casing C. The thrust ball bearings 24 allow the steering wheel A to rotate easily when it is" in,,inoperative position. The 'cylinderQO is held against lateral 9O disengagement from the opening'Wbya. countersunk set screw 27 the head of said set screw be ng further concealed by a covering of suitablemate'rial. This avoids the possibility of an unauthorized person re- 'movi-ng the steering wheel A from th,e' shaft 10, as the front'enjd 23'o ffthe cylinder engages-theannular groove 22 of the hub 12 and keeps the steeringwheel securely attached thereto. The lock bolt 21 is kept from lateral disengagement from thecy'liiu 'der 20, by the circularband 28 and stop pin 29. This stop pin 29'a-ls' o actsa's' a guide for the movement, of the "bolt 21 aria look ing and unlocking position the stop pin engaging in the groove 31) to guide and direct the movement of the bolt 21.

The groove 30 is formed i'n'the outer surface of the bolt 21, having a semi-circular, peripheral. portion 30" extending transversely ofthe bolt and a portion ex stop pin 29.

tending longitudinally of the bolt. This groove 30 allows the bolt, when unlocked, to

be moved ii'iward in a longitudinal direction and then rotated half a turn to lock the bolt in its inward position.

The operation of the lock bolt 21 1S effected bv insertin the he 1 31 in the slot ills t s 5 the key is being inserted the locking tumbler pins are raised in the usual manner to permit the bolt 21 to be pushed forward to engage one of the openings in the hub This is accomplished in the tollowmg manier: The key 31 is pushed nto the slot 32 until the shoulder" engage the end of the bolt 21. B 1 this time the tumblerloclnnpnins a I 0.1. have been raised and b 1 arralvineinward 7 l l. 0 pressure to the key 81 and rotating the wheel A so as to bring the bolt into a position to correspond with one of the og ieni gs 34 in the hub 12 the bolt 21 will shoe into the 7 opening. The groove 30 allows the bolt 21 to move lnward until it has reached the limit of its "forward movement when it is ready to be locked in this position, by rotating the bolt through the medium oi: the key 31, to the right, as indicated by'the arrow "along the portion 30 of the groove 30, Fig.

2, and the locking mechanism assumes the position as illustrated in Figure 8. In th s manner the steering wheel A locked with the steering shaft 10 and is in position to operate the steering mechanism 0:? the vehicle. The key 31 can now be withdrawn il 1t is so desired,

"W'henit is desired to cause the steering mecha-nism'to become inoperative the key 31 is inserted in the slot 32, turned to the left. a half turn and pulled outward as it to disengage it therefrom. This operation pulls the bolt 21 out of the opening 34; enough for its rear end to strike the band EZSand for the end of the groove to engage the The key may now be withdrawn and the steering wheel A is then tree to rotate but without operating the steering.

mechanism of the vehicle.

My device is or an extremely simple, 1n-

expensive construction, the parts of. which are designed in a manner to be most effective. The locking inecl'ianism of my. device is operable so that thebolt of thelock forms a direct engagemcntto rig-idly conneet'the steering; wheel and the operating shalt directly together. This construction simplities to a great degree the device. elirninati any unneccessary parts. Que position of the operating key unloclrsthe steering wheel A frointhe operating or steering shaft 10, as illustrated in Figure 2, while the other position of the hey causes the bolt of the locking mechanism B to e1 e one of the recesses 34 to rigidly connect the stee ing);

wheel with the steering shaft in read to operate the steering; mechanism ot a vehicle. The locking mechanism B is operated in a simple manner by the hey 251 to set the bolt 21 into loch or unlociriug position, while the bolt proper oi the locking mechanism forms the key or medium between the steering wheel and the steering shaft to lock the two members together to operate the steeringmechanism of the vehicle.

The construction of my device is illustrated as attached and operating in connection with the steering wheel A, but I. desire to have it understood that this construction is only illustrative and that the invention can. be carried out and adapted to other means where key operated locking mechanism is desired to locli or unlock two members in a simple and effective manner.

In accordance with the Patent Statutes l have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown only illustrative and that the in positioned on the other side of said first pin tumblers diametrically opposite the same in advance alongsaid cylinder relative to the first pin tumblers, a single set of latching apertures formed in said bolt adapted to cooperate with the pins of either of said sets of tumblers to hold the bolt in an advanced to retired position.

2. In combination with a steering post and steering wheel otan automobile, a cylinder lock mounted on said steering wheel: comprising .a cylinder, a boltpositioned within said cylinderand adapted to he slid longitudinally therein, means on said post to en; the end 0t said bolt when the same is s id inwardly, a set of tumblers positioned within said cylinders and adapted to en f: o said bolt when the same isinits lockposition to hold the same from movet relative to the cylinder, second set of tumblers in said cylinder adapted to ene said bolt to hold the same from move at when the same is in. its unlocking sition. R/lOI'lgZltltClillitl guideway formed on said bolt, a member secured to said cylinder l formed on the bolt cooperating with the longitudinal guide-way for holding the bolt "when in looking position from longitudinal movement prior to the engagement of the tumblers therewith.

3. In combination with a steering post of an automobile, a hub secured to said steering post having a pair offlanges forming an annular groove therein, a hub cap mounted over said hub, a cylinder lock secured in said hub cap comprising a cylinder having its end projecting inwardly beyond the hub cap to engage in between the two flanges of said cap, a bolt slidable within said cylinder lock means for controlling said bolt, and means on said hub adapted to engage said bolt for locking the hub cap upon the steering wheel post.

l. In combination with a steering post of an automobile, a hub secured to said steering post having a pair of flanges forming an annular groove therein, a hub cap mounted over said hub a cylinder lock secured in said hub cap con'iprising a cylinder having its end projecting inwardly beyond the hub cap to engage in between the two flanges of said cap, a bolt slidable within said cylinder lock means for controlllng said bolt, and means on said hub adapted to engage said bolt for looking the hub cap upon the r steering wheel post, and an end thrust ball bearing positioned between .the end of said lock cylinder and the said hub.

5. A steering wheel lock in combination with a hand operated wheel and steering shaft, a cylinder lock carried by said wheel, a key receiving bolt within said lock, having a longitudinal slot formed in the outer surface of said bolt closed at one end, and a transversely'extending peripheral slot connecting with said longitudinal slot at its other end, a stop pin adapted to engage in said slot and key operated locking plungers adapted to engage said bolt to hold the same out of operating position or in operating position, said plungers being released by the operating key'to release said bolt to allow it to move in a longitudinal direction inwardly the length of said longitudinal slot formed therein and to be rotated through the medium of said peripheral slot while said last mentioned slot forms a shoulder to hold said bolt against longitudinal movement while the operating key is withdrawn therefrom, said locking plungers being adapted to lock said bolt in inner position.

Q PETER L. MANLET. 

